Food for Thought: Buyer Beware When it Comes to Supplements

As a sports nutritionist who works with professional and competitive athletes, including tennis players, I’m always on the lookout for tips and tricks that give my clients an edge. An in my 10-plus years of practice, not a week goes by that we don’t learn more about how particular foods and nutrients help the body operate like a well-oiled machine. Each one of your body’s 100 trillion cells relies solely on what you eat and drink to fuel your performance and help you recover. And while sports nutrition isn’t an exact science, there are plenty of tried and true techniques every tennis player should know.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

14. Buyer Beware When it Comes to Supplements
Some consumers believe that supplements are as highly regulated as medications, but the guidelines are complex. A law passed in 1994 called the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act or DSHEA prevents the Food and Drug Administration from regulating supplements in the same way as prescription drugs. That means no product is required to be tested for safety or effectiveness before it gets into your hands. There is also no guarantee that a bottle contains exactly what it states or that it’s not contaminated with additives that shouldn’t be there. Supplements can also interact with each other as well as prescription drugs. For these reasons, it’s always best to use supplements under the guidance of your doctor or dietitian. Before you put anything into your body ask him or her about brands they trust and which formulas and amounts are right for you.